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PHILADELPHIA – Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, two figures towering figuratively and literally over the sport of baseball, won’t be found at this All-Star Game.

The 6-6 Judge and 6-4 Ohtani are sidelined by injuries, though power-hitting luminaries like James Wood, who at 6-7 looks down on Judge, and hometown heroes Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper will be destroying baseballs all week, from the Home Run Derby to fan-pleasing batting practice sessions and finally the Tuesday, July 14 Midsummer Classic.

Somehow, amid these hulking figures and headline-grabbing talents, Otto Lopez and Luis Arraez found their way to Philly, too.

They are virtual twins in many ways, both listed at 5-10 and 185 pounds, and both atop the major league leaderboard in batting average, that old maid of a baseball statistic, Lopez batting .334 and Arraez right there at .330.

And their mere presence here is a reminder that pride and fortitude can go a long way in a game increasingly given over to measurables that have only so much to do with hitting a ball.

“Baseball,” Lopez, the Miami Marlins’ shortstop tells USA TODAY Sports, “needs us, too.”

And if the casual fan isn’t fully familiar with their games, they may soon get tutorials.

Lopez and the Miami Marlins are the game’s biggest surprise, posting a 26-11 record, best in the majors, since June 1 to threaten Atlanta and Philadelphia atop the NL East and firmly establish themselves in wild card position.

Things have gone sideways for the San Francisco Giants, but Arraez, at 29, has authored the greatest chapter of a baseball story that already includes three batting titles. Under the tutelage of infield guru Ron Washington, Arraez transformed himself from a defensive liability – a singles hitter at DH – into a likely Gold Glove second baseman.

And with the Giants struggling at 41-55, Arraez will be one of the most sought-after commodities on the trade market come Aug. 3.

And then he’ll hit free agency, he believes after proving a point after his finest season.

“A lot of people want to change the game,” says Arraez. “They just look at the computer, and then the computer can play baseball. They put the computer at home plate, and it can hit.

“But we are human. They forgot we are human. And I hope they recognize my job. But I don’t care. I just go out there and play my game.”

Perhaps at his highest level yet, a designation Lopez can also claim.

'Best hitter in the league'

Lopez, a 27-year-old Dominican Republic native, and Arraez, 29, from Venezuela, each played for the Marlins in 2024, at least until May 4, when the Marlins dealt Arraez to the Padres for a three-player package that includes current center fielder Jakob Marsee.

They still talk frequently about hitting, and Lopez’s evolution within it. His nine home runs put him easily on pace to surpass his career high of 15, and he leads the major leagues with 26 doubles.

 And all of that coming out of the shortstop position?

Little wonder that Lopez is second among National League position players with 4.7 WAR, already surpassing his career-best 3.6 he posted last year.

“He’s the guy in the lineup that’s going to hurt you,” says Marlins ace Max Meyer. “Unbelievable. He’s the best hitter in the league. I’m surprised he’s not hitting .500.

“It seems like it’s a hit every time. He’s incredible to watch.”

It’s all a little bit startling, given that Lopez, even as he was revered by Blue Jays fans, couldn’t stick after brief stints with Toronto in 2020 and ‘22, spent all of 2023 with their Class AAA club and was purchased, then waived, by the Giants between February and April 2024.

That’s when he was claimed by the Marlins and simply allowed to go play. He knocked 109 hits in 117 games, added 15 homers among his 134 hits last season and then broke all the way out this year.

“They have given me the freedom to be myself,” Lopez says of the Marlins. “To play, to do what I know I can do. Not just that – the fact they have shown me this opportunity and helping me to be the player I am now.”

From the moment he broke out with the Los Angeles Angels, Shohei Ohtani has been Major League Baseball's biggest star. There's no other way to describe it.

Now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the dual threat proved that by receiving the most fan votes for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Tuesday, July 14, his third consecutive selection with the back-to-back World Series champions.

Despite that, Ohtani surprisingly will not partake in the Midsummer Classic, as he has remained in Los Angeles during the All-Star break for treatment. The Dodgers announced the decision for the four-time MVP on Friday, July 10, though he finished the first half with the squad against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ohtani was scheduled to be the National League’s starting designated hitter, which will now go to Philadelphia Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber, who leads the majors in home runs.

The NL is going for its second consecutive All-Star Game victory after it defeated the American League in an electric swing-off in Atlanta last season, which Schwarber won by going 3-for-3 with his swings. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Here's what to know:

DODGERS: Will visit President Trump at White House to celebrate World Series win

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees have wasted no time getting to business after the draft as Hunter Dietz, their top selection in the draft, quickly signed his deal. Dietz, a left-handed pitcher out of Arkansas, will make his way to the player development complex in Tampa, though it remains to be seen whether or not he will pitch in any games this season, according to Damon Oppenheimer, who also announced the completion of the deal.

Newsday | David Lennon: While even simply getting invited and participating in the Home Run Derby is an honor itself, Ben Rice would probably like a bit of a redo from his outing last night. Hitting just seven home runs in his first-round exit, Rice had a moment where it looked like he was heating up with four dingers in his first 10 swings, but the final 10 proved a bit of a challenge as he kept knocking line drives and only getting three more. Nonetheless, it’s a dream come true for the father and son duo, and maybe he’ll make his mark during the game tonight, with Rice also announced as being in the starting lineup and hitting seventh behind teammate Cody Bellinger in right field.

MLB.com | Ed Eagle: If anyone had any doubts about Rice earning his first All-Star nod and starting spot, he put those critics and concerns to bed with the week he had leading up to the event. Hitting five homers, 12 RBIs and a 1.577 OPS in seven games earned Rice his second Player of the Week nod for the season and ensured he went into the Midsummer Classic on a high note. Nationals outfielder James Wood took home the honors on the National League side of things.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Rice and Cam Schlittler both look to be cornerstones for the Yankees for years to come and have solidified that thought process by earning their first All-Star nods this season. That both are Boston-area natives and became All-Stars for the Yankees for the first time together is the kind of story that usually gets written for movies, but it’s a reality for the Yankees whose process in selecting both of these young studs is outlined in this story.

While it would be nice to have seen all the Yankees participate in the game, Schlittler opted out of participating in the game to prioritize rest and recovery. Still, a deeper look into his story and how he became an ace on one of the more talented staffs is truly inspiring.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The San Diego Padres limped into the All-Star break, but they did gain some momentum winning the last two games of the series against the Toronto Blue Jays to finish the ceremonial first half of the season at .500. There has been a lot of debate about what the Padres should do at the trade deadline in recent weeks. This debate reached a fever pitch after San Diego went on an eight-game losing streak to end June and start July. The worst part of the streak was that five losses were to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are running away with the NL West, and the other three losses were to the Chicago Cubs, who will likely be fighting for playoff position at the end of the season.

The Padres had a successful start to the season and were 11 games over .500 at one point. They have slowly regressed and slid back in the standings thanks in large part to the inept offense and more recently due to abhorrent pitching. These two things combined do not show much promise for a second half turnaround and they speak more to the fact that there is not much to look forward to. San Diego has needs in the lineup and in the rotation and the minor league system lacks prospect capital to address all the needs.

The hope is that Joe Musgrove or Nick Pivetta, and preferably both, could return to the rotation not long after the break, which would allow Padres general manager and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller to focus on addressing the needs on offense if he chooses to buy at the deadline. If Musgrove and Pivetta can return and be somewhat effective, they could join Michael King and some duo of Randy Vasquez, when he returns from the IL, Walker Buehler, German Marquez, Griffin Canning, Lucas Giolito, when he returns from the IL, JP Sears and/or Matt Waldron to make up a five-man rotation for the second half. Musgrove and Pivetta have both been throwing bullpens but have not started rehab assignments and there is no timeline for their returns.

The Padres offense has been slowly improving with Manny Machado now hitting above .200 and Jake Cronenworth just below. Fernando Tatis Jr. is still lacking in home runs but has a good average and is always a threat at the plate. Jackson Merrill has been streaky both ways but will hopefully figure it out. Xander Bogaerts started well but has faded lately and perhaps a break during the All-Star week will allow him to rest and recover for the second half. Gavin Sheets has seen his average slowly declining, but he continues to get on base and with Luis Campusano back off the IL the offensive production at the catcher position should improve. Miguel Andujar and Ty France have each had ups and downs this season while Samad Taylor provided some youthful energy to an aging lineup before he too landed on the IL.

Perhaps these are the factors the Friar Faithful considered when casting their vote on the Padres Reacts Survey poll this week on Gaslamp Ball. The fans seem willing to admit defeat and accept that this season is a lost season in San Diego. Whether or not Preller, the coaching staff and the players feel the same way remains to be seen but based on the poll results it would appear the fans are willing to focus on the future.

It easy to say the Padres should look to move pieces at the deadline rather than add, but it is harder to admit it is the right move and even harder to make it happen. San Diego will play 16-games before the deadline after the All-Star break and in that time, the Padres could make the decisions in the first week of August fairly easy. Either way, most if not all of us will be watching.

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For the 10th straight draft, the San Diego Padres took a prep athlete in the first round of the MLB draft, with six of those previous picks also being pitchers. RHP Coleman Borthwick, 18, out of South Walton High School in Florida, will join LHP Kash Mayfield and LHP Kruz Schoolcraft in the Padres system as teenage gambles in the draft.

After choosing a prep shortstop in the second round, the Padres finished day one with college players, a right-handed pitcher, a catcher, and an outfielder. 

In his Zoom conference with the media after the first day of the draft, president of baseball operations A.J. Preller was joined by scouting director Chris Kemp to discuss their thinking with their first five picks and detail how they will be worked into the system.

First round pick Borthwick, in a zoom conference with the media after his selection, detailed his thinking on how he will achieve his goal of being a major league pitcher for the Padres.

“Velocity is great – it’s a great thing to have. But the thing that’s going to get you to the big leagues – is being a competitor, learning to throw strikes while being durable.

“My two-seam is an A-plus. That’s one of my plus-plus pitches that I love to use. It gets early, week contact, nobody can really barrel it, and it’s a pitch I can throw wherever I want. I can pretty much put all my pitches wherever I want, and that’s something that kind of separates me.”

https://sports.yahoo.com/videos/coleman-borthwick-being-drafted-21st-224956280.html

The big right hander has already committed to signing and his first-round slot guarantees him $4,224,700. Don’t be surprised to see him on a roster in the near future.

Day 2 of Padres draft

Day 2 of the draft was covered live on MLB.com as well as the MLB app, with Jonathon Mayo and Jim Callis providing commentary on the draftees with their computers and notes in front of them. This is the first draft with live commentary during the second day, and it allowed some information on players that might not have a lot available on scouting sites.

Over the 16 players selected by the Padres on day 2 of the draft, 14 were college level and two were prep athletes. A somewhat surprising development for a team that normally values young talent with high upside. Signing prep athletes away from their college commitments can be expensive so it appears the Padres focused on college players to save poll money for the more costly signs.

Rounds 5-10

The Padres drafted No. 157 in the 5th round and chose Kansas St. RHP James Guyette, 21, who is unranked by MLB.com. 

Callis gave a quick scouting report on the 6-foot-3, 215-pound power arm that highlighted his 92-94 mph sinking fastball that peaks at 97 mph and a low-80s slider. He also has a quality, low-80s changeup that misses barrels. In 79.1 innings, he had 105 strikeouts to 35 walks in 16 games/15 starts.

In the 6th round, pick No. 186, the Padres drafted Arizona St. righty-hitting shortstop Nu’u Contrades. The 23-year-old had a .366/.434/.762 batting line with 21 homers and 61 RBI in his senior year. A compact 5-foot-10 and 180-pound, Contrades is ranked No. 251 by Baseball America and No. 225 by MLB.com.

Always a fly-ball hitter, his power numbers climbed this past season. He is a free-swinger who had 28 strikeouts in 228 plate appearances over the season. A solid runner, Contrades can also play second base and third base. MLB rates him as a better second baseman going forward, but he has versatility.

The Padres drafted infielder Joe Tiroly, 21, out of Virginia St. in the 7th round with pick No. 215. At 6-f00t and 200 pounds, Tiroly played both second and third base with a .319/.408/.576 batting line while hitting 16 homers with 66 RBI. 

Not a speedy runner, Tiroly had a foot injury for a good part of the early season and played through using a boot between games. The right-handed hitter could profile better as a third baseman going forward, but would need to maintain a power stroke.

For the 8th round and pick No. 245, the Padres selected LHP Sean Fitzpatrick out of Arizona St. The 23-year-old, 6-foot, 175-pound reliever features a 90-93 mph fastball and has swing-and-miss in his game. He is not ranked in the draft boards, and the Padres draft room provided the evaluation to Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Pick No. 275, in the 9th round, was LHP Benjamin Stubbs out of Troy University. The 22-year-old reliever features a low-90s fastball and showcases swing-and-miss ability per the Padres draft room (Jeff Sanders’ draft report).

The 10th round pick, at No. 305, is catcher Augie Lopez out of USC. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound left-handed hitting sophomore punched a .278/.364/.590 line with 19 homers and 57 RBI.

Rounds 11-20

After the 10th round the slot system is complete. The assigned values for those picks equals the Padres bonus pool. If they don’t use the total allowed for the slot, then that money can be used to pay another player. 

Paying above slot can be used to lure a player away from a college commitment. Teams can negotiate contracts with picks in the 11-20 rounds but the top allowed is $150,000. Any overage of that amount is applied to the bonus pool for the team. Any money saved in the first ten rounds can be used to pay a player in the lower rounds.

Round 11, pick No. 335, is first baseman Chris McHugh out of North Carolina St. The right-handed hitting infielder, 6-foot-3 and 215-pound, played first base, DH, and left field for NC St.

Round 12, pick No. 365 is LHP Rob Evans, 22, out of the University of Miami. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound starter pitched in 16 games/15 starts over 87.2 innings with a 10-3 record and 3.29 ERA with 98 strikeouts to 31 walks.

 Round 13, pick No. 395 is outfielder Michael Smith Jr., out of Dayton (Ohio). At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds the right-handed hitter totaled a .332/.502/.588 line with 10 homers and 56 RBI with 43 strikeouts and 47 walks. He also stole 38 bases in 53 games and 261 plate appearances.

Round 14, pick No. 425 is RHP Ty Brachill out of High Point University (N.C.). In 15 starts he posted an 11-2 record with a 3.59 ERA, 81 strikeouts, 24 walks in 90.1 innings.

Round 15, pick No. 455 is shortstop Ryan Kucherak out of Northwestern. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound infielder bats right handed and has solid power and plus speed. He hit .295/.390/.521 with 10 homers and 39 RBI with 59 strikeouts and 27 walks in 51 games and 224 plate appearances.

Round 16, pick No. 485 is RHP Albert Roblez out of Oregon State. Only 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds, the reliever has a 2-1 record and 1.50 ERA with 14 saves and 53 strikeouts to 13 walks in 24 games and 30 IP.

Round 17, pick No. 515 is RHP Denton Lord. Another prep pitcher out of the same school as first round pick Coleman Borthwick, the 18-year-old is another towering power pitcher. At 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, the starter is ranked No. 133 by Baseball America and No. 80 by MLB.com. He has a commitment to Mississippi State and is not considered signable. It is not unusual for a team to take a flyer on a player late in the draft if they think they have a chance to use their bonus money to tempt the player to sign with a team.

Lord features a high-90s fastball with heavy sink as well as a high-70s curve that is working toward a plus pitch. He has a changeup that he hasn’t needed to use much at the high school level.

Round 18, pick No. 575 is LHP Chris Downs out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. At 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds the Padres show their penchant for drafting a lot of very large pitchers into the organization. He profiles as a back-end reliever but has a 5.71 ERA with two saves in 58.1 IP with 56 strikeouts and 22 walks.

Round 20, pick No. 605 is outfielder Ezekiel Zion out of Campo Verde High School in Arizona. The right handed bat is committed to South Montana CC and is 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds at 18-years-old. He is the second prep player drafted by the Padres on Day 2. Their draft class totaled four prep players and 16 college players.

As is the case in years past, the Padres will be active in signing undrafted free agents and it usually begins the same day as the ending of the draft. There is a UDFA tracker on Baseball America’s website that will list all the players signed that are hoping to begin their professional careers.

PHILADELPHIA — The Yankees are frequently looking for relief help, always competitive and have the wherewithal to add at the very top of the market.

So Mason Miller has heard the rumors and reports — though more last year than this year, he said — that the Yankees would be interested in landing him in a blockbuster.

“The rumors are what they are,” Miller said at Monday’s All-Star media day at Citizens Bank Park. “The Yankees are a good team, and they’re obviously a team that is going to add most years. I think it’s just a compliment in a way that good teams are interested in good players.”

There is every reason to believe that the Yankees are interested in Miller, though there is doubt whether he reaches the trade block (and if so, the price tag would be astronomical).

In an era of flamethrowers, Miller burns brightest with a fastball that has averaged 101.3 mph this season.

That he throws his slider more often — a pitch that has yielded an .079 batting average — seems unfair.

He would fit nicely in a shaky Yankees bullpen and push David Bednar to setup duties.

Miller has saved 25 games and pitched to a 0.91 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 39 ²/₃ innings for the Padres, who have been carried by the back of their bullpen but sit at 48-48 and 3 ¹/₂ games back of the final NL wild card.

Trading the 27-year-old, who cannot be a free agent until after the 2029 season, would fetch an immense haul for the Padres, who know this well: In 2025, they sent a four-prospect package that was led by shortstop Leo De Vries (who at the time was the No. 3 prospect in the entire minor leagues) to the A’s for the closer.

Would San Diego president of baseball operations A.J. Preller, among the most aggressive in the business, seek to replenish his prospect reserves and sell Miller if the team does not tick up?

“It’s kind of fruitless to worry about something three weeks away, four weeks away, whatever it ends up being,” Miller said. “Ultimately, it’s out of your hands.”

It is in the hands of the Padres, who started well but are 29-37 since May.

They did enter the break having taken a series from the Blue Jays.

“We’re going to have to wait until we come out of the break and see how those weeks go. See if that tells us anything,” Miller said. “We could very well be in the same position as we are now. Then [buying or selling] might be a little more of a toss-up.

“I think optimistically looking ahead, we’re excited we ended the first half on a winning series and look to carry that momentum forward.”

Cam Schlittler declined to pour fuel on the AL starting pitcher controversy.

The Yankees starter reiterated that he decided he was not going to pitch in Tuesday’s All-Star Game before learning that Blue Jays manager John Schneider had decided to give the ball to his own pitcher, Dylan Cease, to start the game.

“There’s no hard feelings,” Schlittler told reporters. “That’s not something I can control. I’m more worried about the second half, and Dylan deserves that.”

In explaining his decision, Schneider cited Cease’s “overall body of work this year” and his “body of work over the last three years” along with Cease leading the league in strikeouts.

In most other categories, Schlittler holds the edge.

An All-Star Game already missing Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani because of injury also will not include Schlittler (who said he wants to focus on getting ready for the second half), Jacob Misiorowski (fatigue), Paul Skenes (who pitched Sunday), Chase Burns (groin), Max Meyer (rest), Ranger Suárez (groin) and Zack Wheeler (who declined an invite after originally being snubbed), to name a few.

“The way the game is now, where there’s rest, recovery, injuries, which are certainly validated, I still try to encourage players to participate because it is for the fans,” NL and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “To be able to showcase your talents in front of everyone, it’s a special moment.”

It’s easy to claim nepotism when a team drafts the son of one of its franchise icons; just ask Bronny James.

In the case of the Yankees’ eighth-round pick Luke Pettitte, though, Damon Oppenheimer promised it had nothing to do with his dad, five-time World Series winner Andy Pettitte.

In fact, the Yankees vice president and director of amateur scouting said the team didn’t talk to Andy at all before the selection.

“I wanted this to be about Luke and his ability, and not about Andy,” Oppenheimer said. “He’s been great, but I thought that this was better off for Luke’s career to take it and put it in his hands.”

Oppenheimer said he thinks the Pettittes were actually surprised the Yankees took Luke, saying he was good enough to go anywhere.

They were, though, “ecstatic” that he ended up with the Yankees, now teamed up with his dad, still a special adviser to the team.

Oppenheimer said the Yankees were impressed by both Luke’s pitching and hitting ability.

A two-way player for Dallas Baptist before undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer, Luke served solely as a DH this season.

He hit 16 home runs in 42 games and was named first-team All-Conference USA and second-team All-Central Region for his efforts.

“We liked him as a pitcher; he got hurt. We followed him as a hitter, he’s had power,” Oppenheimer said. “The guy’s got a good swing, so his name could have been [anything] and we were taking him based off the ability we saw here.”

As for Luke’s development plan, Oppenheimer said Luke will be allowed to hit and pitch in the low minors, with his performance deciding if he continues to do both as he moves up the ranks.

Luke, along with 20 other players, makes up a draft class the Yankees are excited about.

Their first-round choice, Hunter Dietz, already signed with the team, Oppenheimer said, and will begin his development in Tampa.

Despite taking Pettitte, Dietz and six other pitchers, Oppenheimer said they were not chasing the position, but rather the best players on the board.

He also said recent success stories, like Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler, make him eager to see what this class will do.

Schlittler, taken in the seventh round in 2022, and Rice in the 12th a year earlier, were true wins for “pure old scouting,” Oppenheimer said.